politically homeless?

---

Once upon a time...

there was a rich, famous man who became political,

who was known for regularly building huge structures,

who barked at people regarding what he thought

and who generally didn't care what they replied back to him.

His name was Pharaoh.

Pharaoh was popular among a certain segment of people who liked those things about him.

Then again, there were other people who wished some sort of plague would swoop in and take him out of the spotlight.

---

Once upon a time...

there was a man who was a public servant known for slamming the wealthy.

Some people nicknamed him Robin Hood.

Remember Robin Hood? He was either a villain or a hero, depending on who you spoke with.

Maybe he was both.

Perhaps it was an appropriate nickname for many reasons, for by all means he was within the system yet outside of it; he had resources but didn't take resources. 

In fact, at the end of the day he was sort of a hard guy to pin down.

Should he really be in power?

---

Hi, my name is Tony Myles and I am politically homeless.

What I mean by that is I have no interest in living under the roof of a particular political party.

Can we still be friends? I ask because I can already hear some of you cracking your knuckles to reply.

I wrote the two anecdotes above not to stir up trouble but to make a point - every human leader is flawed and can be stereotyped away so we don't have to pay attention. To top it off, messing with someone's candidate is like messing with that person's family. I get that.

But... do you? 

Do you get how they aren't your family, but you think they are?

I've spent multiple elections trying to help people lean into praying for wisdom in how they vote. Voting, after all, is a human idea that doesn't always reflect the truth and will of God. We have this belief that if many people say something must be a certain way that we have no choice but to agree.

Voting never has, nor never will, overpower the pure truth of God or His standards. 

What's common isn't Normal. What's Normal isn't common.

Another hurdle is there are many people who aren't sure that they fall into one camp 100%, if even 10%. Rather than jumping into another round of "WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO! WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, HOW 'BOUT YOU?" they elect (pun intended) to not elect.

I'm not sure that's entirely the best approach either.

Here's what I believe about all of that, right or wrong:

• The issues matter more than the candidates: You'll likely never in my lifetime hear who "my candidate" or "my party" is. God is my leader in all things, and I believe what He cares about and proclaims transcends party lines. In fact, to be even clearer - what God cares about and proclaims transcends even my personal preferences or previous affiliations. If you or I are inclined to vote on something a certain way that conflicts with something He's made clear, then we are the ones who are to change - not Him.
• The Gospel matters more than the parties: Jesus' teachings are highly political yet incredibly bi-partisan. As a follower of Christ and a Story-teller of His Story, I am called to do what I can where I can while realizing I can't do it all. No human platform, speech or rally cry - not even the snarkiest of Internet/meme graphics - can overshadow even the smallest punctuation marks of the Bible.
• The Church matters more than the government: Someone just got really angry reading that. Again, apologies... but not really. I can't use the title "God" without letting Him be God. Makes sense, right? He gets to be first in all things. His agenda matters more than anyone's agenda. He says everyone in the whole world matters and not just one country. He says we're to go all into the world to make this known because eternity is a bigger deal than the next four years. Granted, the next four years play into eternity, but the mission of the Church must always take precedence over the mission of government. They work hand-in-hand sometimes, and we can show our faith in how we treat our rulers, but again - they are different.
• The faith matters more than the skills: While I know none of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are perfect, I have a sense that many of them are teachable. You have to be in order to follow God. I'd like to see that in a political candidate a bit more than mere skills. Meaning, I'd love to see an "all-in" follower of Jesus who nods His life before God every day than someone who speaks well and plays political games better than others. If we only vote for the lesser of two evils, we're still voting for a form of evil.

Why did I write all of this?

Why does any of this matter?

1. I have strangely angered people simply by talking about politics. There are people in my life who constantly post about political topics, from the economy to sexuality; from health care to the poor. It's all worth talking about, because these are issues God does have perspective and guidance for us on. My hurdle is I sometimes find that if I even dip my toe into those waters I lose friends. Literally... I can think of five people right now who scaled back their friendship from me simply because I said, "You know, here's another way to think about this." For real.
2. People want to know what I believe. As a pastor I understand that this is not my role in their lives. While I will happily give people a framework of things to think about, I've found that promoting a party or a candidate is ridiculous. I'd rather introduce people to Jesus and let Him work inside of them and reshape how they handle the political piece of their lives. To top it off, there are legit Christians in both of the major parties - and following Jesus together is one thing we can agree on. 
3. I see too many of my friends just recycling what they already think and labeling others who think differently. If you assume someone else is idiotic, stupid or anything in this realm for not thinking as you do then you're missing out on a key truth in the world - everyone generally is trying to do what they think is right, whether or not it actually is. If we can speak to one another personally versus with punchlines, perhaps we could form a real relationship that transcends the topics.

So...

have you read all of this up until this point to simply see if you can I match up so you know what to write in the comments?

I'd suggest instead we keep growing, praying and developing.

The main way God wants to change the world is by changing people.

Maybe we can be two of them?

"But the people refused to listen... 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us.'" (1 Samuel 8:19)

SPOILERS from the Hobbit (no, not really)

I didn't see the Hobbit this past weekend.

It's the type of thing I'd normally do with friends who enjoy going to see epic movies at midnight. Given the past week of life and more, I just couldn't swing it.

What I was able to do was to post some tongue-in-cheek "spoilers" from the Hobbit on my Twitter account throughout the three hours the movie premiered. I'm not sure if I was able to influence anyone to actually believe these were true, but since I lost three Twitter followers that night I do believe my purpose was achieved.

(For the record, I gained 10 others).

Here is a chance for you to enjoy the updates in the order I posted them.

From https://twitter.com/tonymyles 

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Gandalf doesn't end up with Hermione.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Orlando Bloom returns as a slightly more mannish Keira Knightley.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Orlando Bloom returns as a slightly more mannish Keira Knightley.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Elrond wears Agent Smith style Matrix glasses.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : It already won a bunch of obscure Academy Awards for costumes... blah blah blah, something artistic, I think.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The movie happens in real time. Keifer Sutherland's character Jack Bauer somehow stays awake for 24 hours.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : John Rhys-Davies brought back for one scene for #Sliders fans where he looks at camera and says, "Mr Mallory!"

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Musical scene with Beyonce' where she plays a temptress singing about how you shoulda putta ring on it.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The "orc" costumes resemble what Robin Williams wore when he landed in Colorado in the 70's.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Will Ferrell plays a character simply known as "Elf" who is passionate about Christmas.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The phrase "there and back again" refers to a craving errand Bilbo's pregnant Hobbit wife sends him on.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The traditional hat worn by Gandalf has been replaced by a red metal helmet resistant to telepathic attacks.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : There are, in fact, 16 fade-to-black endings.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The ring is a Krispy Kream donut... the hot kind, not the cold kind.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The Elves have a foreign language they sometimes speak. This is actually just their attempt at German.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The different nations have political tension with each other, which is an ancient metaphor for #GoogleMaps

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The last name "Baggins" is revealed to be an acronym for "Boy Another Great Gain In Nerd Sales" (guilty!)

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : CeeLo Green plays a Hobbit who plays an Elf who plays a Troll who plays an Orc... with a cat.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Andy Serkis does the voice of Morgan Freeman, and Morgan Freeman does the voice of Andy Serkis.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Ian McKellen and Ian Holm wear matching "Ian" tennis bracelets. Gollum, naturally, wants one.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : One person in every theater nationwide memorized a map of all the lands and actually understands the route.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Hobbits all bummed Sean Astin didn't make it into movie. Each lays down his ears; chants "Rudy" repeatedly.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : "Middle Earth" got its name by being in a love triangle with good guy "Upper Earth" and bad boy "Lower Earth"

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The "Shire" scenes are bootleg videos stolen from the movie Avatar.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The Winklevoss Elves are all played by the same guy.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The Dwarves don't talk about it much, but each one with a beard has killed an Ewok.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The treasure everyone's trying to reclaim are stock shares from "The Facebook" Timberlake's character swiped.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : Smaug, the dragon, isn't actually that smug. Most people overlook the "a" and he's "sick of all the haters."

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The Lonely Mountain symbolizes Mount Rushmore... only with actor Mickey Rourke's face in all four spots.

SPOILER ALERT for #TheHobbit : The characters Fili and Kili have a brother played by Ben Affleck you only see in the deleted scenes - Gigli.

an observation from watching years of TV: slow motion

Perhaps slow-motion effects on television first caught my attention with the Six Million Dollar Man. Back in the day they used to slow down Lee Majors so that we'd  visualize him running faster than we could imagine.

Um... nice try.

Then again, maybe I've spent too many years watching too many TV shows to count. Either way, here are some observations on the use of slow-motion effects in general when it comes to the small screen:

Celebrity walking in slow motion on Entertainment Tonight/Access Hollywood/Extra = they had something tragic happen to them in real life or recently went a little coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs on camera.
Celebrity walking in slow motion in a feature movie = they're about to save the world.
Celebrity walking in slow motion down a hallway in a high school or down a staircase = the cool kid, or the kid who didn't used to be cool but now apparently is after getting a quick makeover (i.e. no longer wearing glasses).
Celebrity walking in slow motion in a commercial = they used to be famous for something else and now are selling you beauty products.
Celebrity walking in slow motion in a primetime program = their character is about to be written out of the show.
Celebrity walking in slow motion in any other TV show = they are Donald Trump, a part of his family or a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice.

jersey shore and reading material

hakuna matata

Apparently, Timon and Pumba are real.

care for some toast?

the computer age?

I saw this and wanted to pass along some of the signs we are definitely living in a computer age. Enjoy! :)

the usefulness of giving up something useless

I just realized that I didn't watch a show tonight I normally would watch.  Meaning, I used to record it and watch it later in the evening when the kids were in bed.  You know, because of "some of those jokes" in the show.

Only as I was setting up my shows to record this season I had this internal conviction (Holy Spirit?) that I'd felt last spring when the show ended.  Namely, that the values in this show ran against the grain of what I value... and I was compromising because it was "hilarious."

Rather than avoid that reality, I've chosen to face it.

And the funny thing is... I don't miss that show at all.

And it turns out I actually feel more consistent than I did before.  At least, in this moment.  I'm by no means perfect in this, and hypocrisy on some level may be unavoidable (because we are all on some level imperfect).

But what can't be avoided is the choice we have to be hypocritical on purpose... or not.

Notice that I haven't shared what the show is.  It's irrelevant... because I'm not asking you to adopt my values. Rather, I challenge you to be faithful to the ones you say you maintain.  Especially if you are a Christ-follower.

I mean, if you are... and I am... shouldn't you and I follow Christ in all things?  Including entertainment?

Or not?

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

a one in a million(aire) opportunity - pt 2

After getting my audition/call-back pass and application for "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," I had three hours to figure out the answers to some intriguing personal questions.

• Quirks, rituals, superstitions... what makes you unique?
• How would winning $1 million change your life?
• What is one thing you do that makes people laugh?
• If you could nominate yourself as "best _____" or "most likely to ______" what would be your vote?
• What do you do for fun?
• You'd never believe it, but I once...
• Why do you want to be on Millionaire?
• How did you hear about the audition?

Of course, these are more than questions... this is their way of figuring out if you're a genius who rubs people the wrong way or if you're a smart person who'd actually be fun to watch on TV.

There was another set of questions as well... these were more movie focused:

• Is there any movie that you're obsessed with? How many times have you seen it?
• How large is your movie collection?  How many movies do you see  a year?
• What are your 3 favorite movie memories and why are they your favorite?
• Do you have any friends, relatives, or pets that are named after a movie character?
• Do you have a home theater?  How much money have you spent to enhance your movie experience?
• Do you own or collect any movie memorabilia? What is the most you have spent on an item?
• Have you ever missed work or an important event to go see a movie?
• What do you love about movies?
• What makes you the perfect contestant for the movie trivia shows?

I knew I'd need to concentrate, so instead of sitting in a corner of the hallway I ended up heading out to a local "Subway" restaurant, grabbing some lunch, and filling out the application there on a hard table.  Sometimes these little things can help a person to think clearly.  It also afforded me the chance to use the internet and phone to brainstorm some good answers to the questions... my wife had some great insights on potential responses.

By this point I had some time to kill, so I walked around the West Side Market in Cleveland.  If you've never been there before, it's an enclosed farmer's market and specialty shop area that includes over 100 different vendors from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.  These are the guys who stop you as you walk by with invitations like, "Come here, my friend.  Taste this fruit - it's the BEST melon you will ever have in your life.  The BEST!"

By the time I made it back to my callback, a number of people were returning as well.  I somehow managed to get to the front of the line, though, as not too many people considered that where we were waiting would become a line as soon as they opened the doors.  This allowed me to get in and out quickly, helping me get home after an already full day.

But the audition itself went great - a gentleman called me over and asked me some questions based on my application.  I could see him reading me - judging my every expression and non-expression.  My new friend Steve who had made it through as well had remarked to me that he was concerned about "being" the "right person" who would get picked - saying, "If they want me to be funny, I can be funny.  If they want me to be smart, I can be smart.  I hate it that I don't know what they want."

I opted to be myself.  I don't think I faked my way through any of the interview, but simply had a great conversation and made that my only goal.  As it ended, the gentleman shook my hand and gave me a warm look back as he said, "The way it works is that everyone gets a postcard in the mail in the next couple of weeks telling you where we're at in our process. I think you did great, by the way."

So... we'll see. :)

One of my favorite parts of the day was that Steve decided to wait for me to touch base.  I'll tell you what - if all I win out of this is a new friendship, that was awesome in itself.

By the way - one of my answers to the questions above - "How would winning $1 million change your life?"

My response, and it's honest:

I'm hoping it would change other people's lives versus just my household. We'd be looking for ways to share it. But we would pay off our house and set up college accounts for our kids. That, and we'd start buying the "deluxe" version of macaroni and cheese instead of the usual normal brand. :)

feeling the (t)-pain

Look what came with the loaner car my mechanic gave me.

Sweet!  It's the one I was missing in my extensive T-PAIN collection.

a one in a million(aire) opportunity - pt 1

Let me begin with a confession... it's always been a dream of mine to be on a game show. On one hand, it disgusts me to realize how much pop culture knowledge I am filled with. On the other hand, maybe some of that knowledge can actually be used for something productive.

On Wednesday morning I took a tangible step in that direction.

The TV show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" held open auditions in the Cleveland area this past week.  It was a "first come, first serve" audition, which meant there was no guarantee you'd get in without an early spot in line.  I left my house at 4:30am to stand in a line that wouldn't start moving until 6am.

Then again, it was a beautiful morning and I was on the dock.  So who am I to complain?

When it did move, though, they brought us into an outdoor pavilion area and sat everyone down.  Best guess is that there were around 700 people there, from those who seemed focused to others who just enjoyed hamming up every so often to keep the mood light.  They even gave us all bathroom breaks by section... how nice!

Next, we were each handed a magnet that had a number written on the back to designate where we were at in line.  I was "213" - which placed me right in between two guys who I ended up striking a conversational friendship with.  Noah (#212) happened to be an author and itinerant speaker, whereas Steve (#214) was a local broker.

Over time we each shared a bit about our backgrounds, which for Steve included him having auditioned for the show in New York.  He even voluntarily tossed out a few of the questions my way to prepare for, just in case they'd be on the test again.

• Which President is on the right side of Mt Rushmore?
• How do you accurately spell this word: "kwestionair?"
• What movie did George Clooney gain weight for?
• What country is _____ river located in?" (I forgot the name of it already - sorry)

Unfortunately for Steve and I, none of these questions were on the Cleveland test.

What was challenging about the experience was that the show's representatives didn't have a sound system.  So whenever they would try to talk to the large crowd of 700+ people they would be continually interrupted by the masses saying, "WE CAN'T HEAR YOU!"  Of course, I could hear them fine until those other folks said they couldn't... which was odd since they were in front of me.  Nonetheless, that was a struggle a couple of times during the day.

So we were ushered upstairs into a large ballroom where we sat down on chairs that barely gave any elbow room.  Thankfully I was a few chairs down from the end and Steve caught on to move his chair down a bit.  This would eventually help in the test taking, not only from a concentration standpoint but also to keep others from cheating (which it actually would have been easy to do, although I didn't see it happen).

A young woman from the show guided us through our initial steps - we'd be given ten minutes to answer 30 questions on the first test, then a second test would ask us another 30 questions that we'd also only have ten minutes to answer.  Both were standard "Scantron" sheets, and we were all given a "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" pencil and a piece of hard cardboard.

Some of the easy questions of the first test I nailed included:

• What was the profession of Michael Clayton in the 2007 movie?
• Which of these is more money - four rolls of pennies, five rolls of dimes, ten rolls of nickels, etc.
• What is the old time nickname that the New York Times is known for?
• Name the TV show George Costanza's answering machine parodied on Seinfeld.
• On "In Living Color," what was Homey the Clown's catchphrase?

Some of the other questions I didn't nail off the first test included this genre: "Put these birth stones in order, according to which month comes first..."  That's where you burn a lot of time - trying to recall information you once may have known but no longer do.  At least a third of the test was a challenge in this way.

The second test was much easier - it was primarily movie themed and covered every genre from The Maltese Falcon to Jurassic Park.  A few questions were "trick" questions - like "What movie did actor Bill Paxton not die in?" and they gave you four movies where people were known for dying.  I dare say that I only missed one question on that second test.

After all of this, we had to wait around a half hour for the results to come back.  During this time, the ballroom became a chaotic rendition of "America's Got Talent" - only, it was the non-talent version.  I apologize for how that sounds, but people were doing anything to win a t-shirt... and I heard some of the flattest jokes I've heard in a long time.  It gave Steve great sideline comfort in his chances to move forward as he watched it all unfold.

Although... I did score a t-shirt (and later several more) by helping toss them out to the people.

Finally, the big moment came.  They announced who made it out of the large group by name, and when all was said and done around 8% of were called back.  The comments made by many people after this included, "This was the biggest waste of time in my entire life."  Meanwhile, I was feeling pretty good... as was Steve who also was called back as well.

We made our way up to the front, were handed application forms, took pictures with our number and name, and then were told to come back three hours later for our audition.

Three hours later?  Application form?  Audition?

(click here for Part 2)

like it or not, we should talk about this

I like to look at the undercurrent beneath trends, from why LOST was so popular a series to what drives people to enjoy comic books and vampires.

Someone shared with me this rather intriguing article on the Twilight saga in the L.A. Times.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/27/entertainment/la-ca-twilight-addiction-20100627

Pay special attention to the comments and situation on page three.

And the spirit of the closing thought on page four as well.

In light of all of that, what are your thoughts on the trend mentioned in this story?

No... really.  I mean it.  And I mean no disrespect in asking.

What are your thoughts?

Or perhaps a better question... why are those your thoughts?

trailer: the voyage of the dawn treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader hits theaters on December 10, and you can watch the film’s first trailer below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJQDPpIK6I

facepalm

a final, real-life spin on L O S T

 

Over the past few days, I've had several conversations involving the finale of the show L O S T.  Today I was able to share some perspective on it via my weekly newspaper column.

Click here to read that article: "L O S T" in Relationships

While much has been said on the topic of how the show ended, I'm more interested in the reason behind the debate it's caused.  Here's what I've been able to discern from the big picture:

• Some people watched the show for the characters: From the "opening" scene to the final "closure," we have been the real eyes that have watched every monumental moment that occurred in the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.  Along the way we learned about "Others" on the island, and many who were off the island with a tie to what was occurring.  Throw in two more characters who made it all about good and evil and there were many people to care about and despise.
  
  
• Some people watched the show for the mystery:  Once upon a time there was an injured pilot who got attacked by "something" that made weird noises.  Oh, and then there was a hatch in the island - what the heck?  And then "others" who stole a boy?  What about that weird cabin in the woods, or the weird whispers from invisible people, or the Dharma Initiative symbols all over the island?  Can someone please explain the numbers?
  
  All of these questions once were watercooler conversations, until many of those questions were answered.  Some weren't, though.  It seems that has driven a large number of people quite mad.
  
  
• Some people watched the show for the production: Let's face it, this TV show has pulled in some of the best writing, production, and actors in all of entertainment history. What they accomplished in terms of set design on the island of Hawaii was amazing, not to mention the caliber of music that made every ordinary moment epic.  It seemed like even some of the side characters were played by quality actors who could pull off some of the toughest scenes, as if even the "everyman" character (that likely represented you or I) could carry a portion of the show as needed.

I've realized that the people who fall into one category may struggle with the people in the other categories.  For instance, someone who loves that the show has been about characters may not understand the angst of someone who wanted every question answered.  Likewise, someone who enjoyed the show purely on a production level may not understand how attached fans became to the show.

My spin...

• What is the point of LOST: According to the producers, it's about the characters.  That's always been my spin as well.  I wouldn't say that it's only about relationships, but I would say that all the mysteries are more scenery than the point of the show.
  
  I know this is frustrating to people who wanted more of a tidy ending to the show, but consider life... you can argue that the people who were in your life 10 years ago who no longer are were a "waste of time" (i.e. Lost mysteries that were not answered). Or you can see how while they are not directly on your radar right now they contributed to a small or large piece of who you are and how you see life.
  
  For instance, Dharma may seem "useless" since it didn't play into the finale... or did it? After all, wasn't Sawyer the man he was in this final season due to what happened to him during those three years with Juliet? Are Walt's powers as important as what his disappearance did to Michael, which in turn affected the survivor's rallying to go find them, confront the Others, learn about the agenda of the Others, learn about why that agenda existed (i.e. Jacob), and so on?
  
  And what about the people we saw for a season but don't any more?  Was learning about Mr Ecko a waste of energy?  Or those Dharma guys last year?  How about Shannon?  And Boone?  To say they didn't matter is like saying all a plant needs to grow is a seed.  It needs foundation... soil... water... and so on.  Each character on this show has affected another, just like how the person who cut you off in traffic today and made you miss the green light affected you more profoundly than you may ever realize.
  
  In many cases, we should note, it took that one special moment with that one special person for it all to happen.  Kate didn't just wear a mask... she was a mask.  That is, until taking care of Aaron made her become vulnerable.  Jack, likewise, had to realize his goal of getting off the island before he realized that it wasn't what he wanted.  And so on.
  
  Isn't it beautiful how in every failing there is a great victory, and in every victory there is a great failing?
  
  
• What was the point of the "flash sideways?" and the finale?:  When I watched the first episode of this season, I found myself more enlightened than confused.  While many saw two storylines being played out that didn't seem to connect, I saw the same storyline being played out in two ways that I anticipated would merge into one.  On one hand, the characters we knew were able to live out their life as if Oceanic 815 had never crashed.  In another timeline, they were still on the island.
  
  Or were they?
  
  The key was always in Juliet's death.  In her last moments before passing away, she uttered two lines of dialogue that seemed out of character for the moment.  Later in that episode we found out her last thought was "It worked."  That was our clue there that the two storylines would somehow merge.  The question for me became "how?"
  
  At first I wondered if it wouldn't be a sci-fi ending of sorts, with some character (Desmond or Jack) tying up the loose ends.  Soon I realized that again the key was in Juliet dying... she had a near-death vision that she thought meant things had reset.  In reality, she was entering the "afterlife" place that the flash-sideways was.
  
  Then there was the issue of the final scenes... somehow I knew they would have to root us back to the show's core elements - the ensemble cast and the eye of Jack Shepherd.  How fitting that they would both happen at the same time, both in the real-time era of the island and  the non-time era of the afterlife.
  
  Frankly, I know that ticked some people off... but isn't the purpose of any great show or movie to affect you in some way?  To change you?  To get you thinking about your own life versus merely solving why a hatch is on an island?
  
   
• What about _____?: I hate to say this, but let it go.  It's a TV show, and granted... it's one that you invested up to six years of your life into.  Was the point always for you to be satisfied, or was it to be on a fictional journey that in some way played into your non-fiction life?
  
  Consider - how many answers have you found in life, only to realize there is so much more you need to grow into?  In the same way, even for all the things the characters on LOST accomplished there was still more to be done... Jack was Jacob's replacement, but then he needed Hurley; Widmore made it to the island, but didn't fulfill his purpose; Michael got Walt off the island, but their relationship dissolved; the Oceanic Six made if off the island, but needed to come back.
  
  The unanswered questions of this show remind us of our own lives, and that's why we cry "NOT FAIR!"  After all, entertainment is supposed to have the Hollywood ending, but this show reminded us that even when we save the world today we have to save it again tomorrow.  And ultimately we will die and someone else will have to pick up that baton.
  
  One day, that will all change... in the blink of an eye.
  
  But for now, that is the merry-go-round we are on. 
  
  And if you don't like it, then you know how Locke must have felt when Ben kept all the secrets; or how Ben felt when un-Locke kept all the secrets.
  
  Turns out the show keeps on giving, doesn't it? :)
  
  So you can be as stuck in the past as Sawyer, Juliet, Miles, Farady, and Jin were...
  
  or you can remember what today's date is.

So again, I encourage you to read that article up top I wrote and consider how what you've experienced in this show has added perspective to your own life that you may currently be unaware of.

And as a final note, I do appreciate the spiritual conversations that I've been able to have through LOST.  A couple of years ago I did a sermon series on it that walked us through the book of Job, and man whose life truly embodied this scene.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg2tB_xTt9I



But again - this show involves the everyday as well as the eternal... faith and science... redemption and injustice... battles and babies. Maybe it’s understandable why everyone is flipping out - because when mysteries stay mysteries we become keenly aware of how our own life can feel unsatisfying.

Which, as a side point - or perhaps a core point - is worth noting.  How is it that inside of us are we intuitively wired to yearn for resolution?  It's as if deep down we know that there is more than what is in front of us, even though we can't see it.

Sounds like faith.

And in the same breath, we know that there are steps to take to move forward... even though we have to figure them out in real time.

Sounds like science.

Apparently, you can embody both.

a lost review

Regarding L O S T: I know many of you have asked if I liked the ending of the show or not. In short, I did for a number of reasons. I'm writing more about it in my weekly newspaper column this week, so I'll reference that link when it's up on Wednesday. In the meantime, here's an intriguing summary plus a lot of debate in the comments.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2010-05-24-lostreview24_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

the force is with you, and it's vaaaaantastic!

Lando Calrissian and Han Solo got to hang out together again.

Thirty years after starring together in "The Empire Strikes Back," Billy Dee Williams and Harrison Ford reunited at an anniversary screening of the classic film in Hollywood.

lost + seinfeld = ?

What if LOST was more like Seinfeld?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XnHhj3fsM8

twice the dos

When people tell me, "Today is 'Cinco de Mayo, May 5th" I feel like I am on an episode of Dora The Explorer or Handy Manny where they say things in both languages.



(You know those shows could be half as long if they would stop doing that.)

grandpa george gets the shaft

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is on right now, and I am again reminded how much Charlie gives Grandpa George the shaft.

You probably recall the moment when Charlie comes running in to tell his family that he found the last golden ticket to visit the infamous chocolate factory.  Quickly, he invites Grandpa Joe to be his guest family member at the big visit.

Grandpa Joe gets out of the creepy four-person bed, citing that it's the first time he's done so "in twenty years."

Okay... do you realize what that says about how many bedpans Charlie's mom has been taking care of this whole time?  And then Grandpa Joe hops up and does a little dance around the room... as if to rub it in  Charlie's mom has to be thinking, "I can't believe you could have gotten up to use an actual bathroom this whole time, you faker!"

But the real person who gets the shaft?  Grandpa George.

He's still in bed, staring up at all the action in pure disbelief.

Grandpa George's face says it all: "Uh...kid? You know, I'm sitting right here. Thanks. Way to make me feel like cardboard scenery."

Notice that he doesn't speak at all in this scene, but simply gazes with his mouth wide open.  You would, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_uSlEEPSk